Intelligent controller providing time to target state

• US 9,448,568 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2014
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Matsuoka, Yoky, Sharan, Rangoli, Stefanski, Mark D., Ruff, Joseph Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasenge, Charles
• Application Number:
  US14/307,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20140364966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 700/28, 700/29, 700/30, 700/275, 700/276, 700/278, 700/299, 700/300, 236/46.R, 236/91.C, 236/91.D, 236/91.E, 236/91.F
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/04 involving the use of models or simulators
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/19 characterised by the use of electric means G05D23/1393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40013 Details regarding a bus controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators

Abstract

The current application is directed to intelligent controllers that continuously, periodically, or intermittently calculate and display the time remaining until a control task is projected to be completed by the intelligent controller. In general, the intelligent controller employs multiple different models for the time behavior of one or more parameters or characteristics within a region or volume affected by one or more devices, systems, or other entities controlled by the intelligent controller. The intelligent controller collects data, over time, from which the models are constructed and uses the models to predict the time remaining until one or more characteristics or parameters of the region or volume reaches one or more specified values as a result of intelligent controller control of one or more devices, systems, or other entities.

Claims

1. A method of calculating a time-to-temperature estimate for a thermostat controlling an HVAC system, the method comprising:

receiving a first temperature representing a current temperature of an enclosure;

receiving a second temperature representing a target temperature of the enclosure;

computing a first component of an estimated time representing an estimated time to transition the temperature in the enclosure from the first temperature to the second temperature by the HVAC system, wherein the first component is computed based on;

a plurality of historical time and temperature values recorded from one or more previous temperature change cycles of the enclosure; and

at least one external factor selected from a group consisting of;

an outside temperature, an outside sunlight amount, an outside wind velocity, and a time of day;

computing second component of the estimated time based on a current trajectory of time and temperature values as the enclosure transitions from the first temperature to the second temperature;

computing the estimated time based on the first component of the estimated time and the second component of the estimated time; and

causing the estimated time to be displayed on a display device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein computing the estimated time based on the first component of the estimated time and the second component of the estimated time comprises:

multiplying the first component of an estimated time by a first weighting factor to produce a first product;

multiplying the second component of an estimated time by a second weighting factor to produce a second product; and

adding the two products to generate the aggregate estimated time.

3. The method of claim 2, w herein the sum of the first weighting factor and the second weighting factor is 1.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the first weighting factor is initially set to a larger value than the second weighting factor; and

the first weighting factor is incrementally decreased while the second weighting factor is correspondingly incrementally increased as the enclosure transitions from the first temperature to the second temperature.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein computing second component of the estimated time comprises selecting a model from among two or more preexisting models.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a model from among two or more preexisting models:

first selecting a set of candidate models based on data collected during time periods with characteristics similar to characteristics of a current time interval; and

selecting, from among the candidate models, a model with a computed fit that indicates that the model fits the recorded temperature-versus-time data points better than the other candidate models.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein computing the second component of the estimated time comprises generating a model based on measured temperature changes with respect to time recorded during a current time interval.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initially selecting, as a current model, a single model computed from measured temperature changes with respect to time recorded during previous time intervals in which the HVAC system was controlled to change the ambient temperature; and

subsequently selecting, as a next current model, one of an aggregate model or a single model for the change in temperature with respect to time during control by the HVAC system.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising computing a fitness metric computed for the trajectory of time and temperature values with respect to a model.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second temperature is received from a control schedule stored in memory that includes one or more setpoint temperature values.

11. A thermostat for calculating a time-to-temperature estimate for a thermostat controlling an HVAC system, the thermostat comprising:

a display device;

one or more temperature sensors for measuring a first temperature representing a current temperature of an enclosure;

an input interface for receiving a second temperature representing a target temperature of the enclosure; and

one or more processors programmed to perform operations comprising;

computing a first component of an estimated time representing an estimated time to transition the temperature in the enclosure from the first temperature to the second temperature by the HVAC system, wherein the first component is computed based on;

a plurality of historical time and temperature values recorded from one or more previous temperature change cycles of the enclosure; and

at least one external factor selected from a group consisting of;

an outside temperature, an outside sunlight amount, an outside wind velocity, and a time of day;

computing second component of the estimated time based on a current trajectory of time and temperature values as the enclosure transitions from the first temperature to the second temperature;

computing the estimated time based on the first component of the estimated time and the second component of the estimated time; and

causing the estimated time to be displayed on a display device.

12. The thermostat of claim 11, wherein computing the estimated time based on the first component of the estimated time and the second component of the estimated time comprises:

multiplying the first component of an estimated time by a first weighting factor to produce a first product;

multiplying the second component of an estimated time by a second weighting factor to produce a second product; and

adding the two products to generate the aggregate estimated time.

13. The thermostat of claim 12, w herein the sum of the first weighting factor and the second weighting factor is 1.

14. The thermostat of claim 12, wherein:

the first weighting factor is initially set to a larger value than the second weighting factor; and

the first weighting factor is incrementally decreased while the second weighting factor is correspondingly incrementally increased as the enclosure transitions from the first temperature to the second temperature.

15. The thermostat of claim 11, wherein computing second component of the estimated time comprises selecting a model from among two or more preexisting models.

16. The thermostat of claim 11, wherein selecting a model from among two or more preexisting models:

first selecting a set of candidate models based on data collected during time periods with characteristics similar to characteristics of a current time interval; and

selecting, from among the candidate models, a model with a computed fit that indicates that the model fits the recorded temperature-versus-time data points better than the other candidate models.

17. The thermostat of claim 11, wherein computing the second component of the estimated time comprises generating a model based on measured temperature changes with respect to time recorded during a current time interval.

18. The thermostat of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to perform operations comprising:

initially selecting, as a current model, a single model computed from measured temperature changes with respect to time recorded during previous time intervals in which the HVAC system was controlled to change the ambient temperature; and

subsequently selecting, as a next current model, one of an aggregate model or a single model for the change in temperature with respect to time during control by the HVAC system.

19. The thermostat of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to perform operations comprising computing a fitness metric computed for the trajectory of time and temperature values with respect to a model.

20. The thermostat of claim 11, wherein the second temperature is received from a control schedule stored in memory that includes one or more setpoint temperature values.